India have the character to bounce back - Dhoni

MS Dhoni, India's under-fire captain, has said this is the time for the team to show character. India are 2-1 down against England and could lose their first Test series at home since 2004 if they don't win the Nagpur Test. In all they have now lost 10 of their 11 Tests against England and Australia, and almost every player in the side has had his place questioned in recent times.

"Not only as a captain, but as an individual too you rarely get these situations," Dhoni said. "Against South Africa [in 2008], we were in a similar situation, when we were down in the series, going into Kanpur. I won't say this is a very good situation to be in, but you get to know the character of a team or a person only in tough times. In a way it's a good situation to be in where we have nowhere to go. We have to do well in this game."

Dhoni said the team has been in good spirits despite the reverses over the last few weeks. "The spirit is really good," he said. "We have maintained that really well. In tough times the only people who will support you are team members, and the support staff. We have kept it really close, and the good thing is we are enjoying our cricket, which at times you don't tend to do when you go through a rough patch. When it comes to the dressing-room atmosphere, it's looking great."

Dhoni said his team is used to being under such pressure. "If you are part of Indian cricket, everything is under the microscope, and everybody has an opinion about cricket," he said. "Everybody asks the questions we also ask, but nobody comes with a solution, which is the brilliant part. That's how it goes in India. Cricket is a sport followed in a big way. Everybody has an opinion about everything that goes on.

"People who have covered cricket for a long time, once you wait for the result you have plenty more questions you can ask - 'Why that guy was not picked', 'why this guy was not given the new ball.' It's not like soccer where players play from a specific area. The midfielder plays from there, you alter it very rarely. Cricket is a sport where you can ask a lot of questions. That's a big part of our life. We are under the microscope throughout."

Asked if many cricketing futures relied on the coming game, Dhoni said there was no need to be that dramatic. "That's getting very critical," Dhoni said. "A series or two or a rough patch…everybody was talking of this phase in Indian cricket where the big cricketers will move on and the pressure will come on young players. Everybody was expecting a rough patch.

"Of course we have struggled in the last two Test matches. If you ask big questions depending on two Test matches, it may come in the future too when we lose two Test matches that youngsters should go out and somebody else should come in. You have to be consistent. You have to keep faith in the players. People who have done a lot for Indian cricket over the years, just on the basis of one series or two Test matches or half a season, it will be difficult if you are asking questions."

Dhoni defended two of his batsmen under-fire from the critics. About Sachin Tendulkar, he said: "He is the best man to have in the side in a game like this. The experience he has, the kind of performances he has given under pressure over the years is something we all look up to. When it comes to Sachin, the best thing to do is to not speculate. He has proved everybody wrong throughout his career. There is nothing really to speculate. Let him enjoy his cricket. That's important."

Gautam Gambhir got Dhoni's vote of confidence too. "About Gautam, the best thing I like about him is he is an aggressive character," Dhoni said. "I always talk about it. I have played with him a lot. If you see the last few games, he has batted really well, he has taken time. There is a lot of improvement in his batting. I feel whenever he is aggressive - by aggressive I don't mean stepping out and hitting the ball, it's more about positively defending a ball, because that can be an aggressive mindset. He has been batting well in the last few games. It's an ideal setup, this is a big game, he is a big-game player. He can transform starts into a big innings."

About the pressure on himself, Dhoni said he can handle these situations well. "That's one thing I have done really good," he said. "Whether it was the 2007 World Cup or when it was the 2011 World Cup, when people appreciate me, I don't go to seventh heaven and go outside my way. When people criticise me, it's the same.

"In India we have extreme opinions. We praise someone very highly, and in a few games we start pulling the same individual down. I always say it's important to be in the middle path. That's how you will enjoy the sport. I have been quite good at maintaining that. Whether you win a game or lose it, the basics remain the same. It hasn't been difficult not watching TV or reading newspapers. I have not been doing it for quite some time now."

I do believe India has the capability to bounce back..dhoni just needs a little support from the team... And so does the rest of the team from the captain and selectors.. the proof has already been shown .. Just one match turning innings by one player can put the fighting back in Indian team

ifthi234
on December 14, 2012, 20:49 GMT

The body language of Gautam and MSD in the picture is self explanatory. "Dropped Shoulders", "Not Serious", "lack of enthusiasm" etc, etc;;;

VAS4
on December 14, 2012, 19:11 GMT

I will never say a word against Dhoni or Gambhir as long as I am alive, only because of their contribution towards T20 world cup and 50-50 world cup. Who can forget the 97 by Gambhir and the final six by Dhoni? So I give them permission to play as long as they want, do whatever they want. They have made a billion people extremely happy. The celebration after world cup last year in Wembley was an unforgettable experience of my life. Power to you guys!

cricindian123
on December 14, 2012, 18:27 GMT

Dhoni should perform first...His batting average n test z too low...

ashok_cricfan
on December 14, 2012, 12:39 GMT

@ adnan aryan-- what abt losing to india in all worldcup matches (50-50, t20) in each and every encounter, and now in blind format too. u guys enjoy it a lot i think...

dummy4fb
on December 14, 2012, 7:48 GMT

5 POINTS SOLUTION...Ind needs change in strategy than change in personnel...All English bowlers r superior to their Indian counterparts: Their avg pace 140 kph (and of Indians 130 kph), they got more swing, more turn on same pitches, they bowled more % of deliveries aiming stumps, they bowled cross seam to bring natural variation ...Now the solution part 1). Keep only 140+ kph fast bowlers V Aaaron &Yadav 2). Ashwin must bowl from around the wicket to bring lbw into equation & should bowl at least 2 carrom balls per over to put doubt in batsman's mind. 3). All Indian bowlers must aim 80 % deliveries at stumps with leg side attacking fields 4). Indian spin bowlers must also bowl cross seam to bring natural variation 5). Indian Batsmen must play with open face, face on technique & slash the ball on off side like Sehwag does as it chops the ball & ball doesn't carry in slip & u never get bowled 7). All Indian batsmen must play every ball considering in-dipper with bat in front of pads

Shajahan.P
on December 14, 2012, 7:46 GMT

Why did Dhoni dropped Yuvraj.

Player's averages as of now in this series are,

Yuvraj 25.00
Sachin 22.00
Dhoni 18.40
Kohli 17.00

Great politics done by Dhoni. He may ask BCCI Head Srinivasan to take CSK against International teams.

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 16:59 GMT

Performances of dravid, laxman,sachin, kohli, sehwag and others made doni best captain and india number 1, if they dont perform doni is not best captain. All the critics against dhoni is right, mr dhoni first you perform , then talk . With out the performance of gambir in wc final, your performace would have had no value. Your s and indias luck you could be one of reason for tht victory, but ability is also something, you cant always rely on luck. As a indivisual player wht u r zero..u better fit in commentary zone. As u said,You had a point to proove, but one performace cant proove it for u life long. U knw ur calibure, pls step aside from test team, it requires charector to perform in test which never been reflected by ur test records.

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 16:58 GMT

@Sunil Yadav
You are absolutely right. Dhoni is no longer fit to be the captian of the Indian team. He has simply become a caption, living on past greatness.

shaileshkumar77
on December 15, 2012, 15:26 GMT

the indian have shown the character today.

victorprodigal
on December 15, 2012, 4:48 GMT

I do believe India has the capability to bounce back..dhoni just needs a little support from the team... And so does the rest of the team from the captain and selectors.. the proof has already been shown .. Just one match turning innings by one player can put the fighting back in Indian team

ifthi234
on December 14, 2012, 20:49 GMT

The body language of Gautam and MSD in the picture is self explanatory. "Dropped Shoulders", "Not Serious", "lack of enthusiasm" etc, etc;;;

VAS4
on December 14, 2012, 19:11 GMT

I will never say a word against Dhoni or Gambhir as long as I am alive, only because of their contribution towards T20 world cup and 50-50 world cup. Who can forget the 97 by Gambhir and the final six by Dhoni? So I give them permission to play as long as they want, do whatever they want. They have made a billion people extremely happy. The celebration after world cup last year in Wembley was an unforgettable experience of my life. Power to you guys!

cricindian123
on December 14, 2012, 18:27 GMT

Dhoni should perform first...His batting average n test z too low...

ashok_cricfan
on December 14, 2012, 12:39 GMT

@ adnan aryan-- what abt losing to india in all worldcup matches (50-50, t20) in each and every encounter, and now in blind format too. u guys enjoy it a lot i think...

dummy4fb
on December 14, 2012, 7:48 GMT

5 POINTS SOLUTION...Ind needs change in strategy than change in personnel...All English bowlers r superior to their Indian counterparts: Their avg pace 140 kph (and of Indians 130 kph), they got more swing, more turn on same pitches, they bowled more % of deliveries aiming stumps, they bowled cross seam to bring natural variation ...Now the solution part 1). Keep only 140+ kph fast bowlers V Aaaron &Yadav 2). Ashwin must bowl from around the wicket to bring lbw into equation & should bowl at least 2 carrom balls per over to put doubt in batsman's mind. 3). All Indian bowlers must aim 80 % deliveries at stumps with leg side attacking fields 4). Indian spin bowlers must also bowl cross seam to bring natural variation 5). Indian Batsmen must play with open face, face on technique & slash the ball on off side like Sehwag does as it chops the ball & ball doesn't carry in slip & u never get bowled 7). All Indian batsmen must play every ball considering in-dipper with bat in front of pads

Shajahan.P
on December 14, 2012, 7:46 GMT

Why did Dhoni dropped Yuvraj.

Player's averages as of now in this series are,

Yuvraj 25.00
Sachin 22.00
Dhoni 18.40
Kohli 17.00

Great politics done by Dhoni. He may ask BCCI Head Srinivasan to take CSK against International teams.

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 16:59 GMT

Performances of dravid, laxman,sachin, kohli, sehwag and others made doni best captain and india number 1, if they dont perform doni is not best captain. All the critics against dhoni is right, mr dhoni first you perform , then talk . With out the performance of gambir in wc final, your performace would have had no value. Your s and indias luck you could be one of reason for tht victory, but ability is also something, you cant always rely on luck. As a indivisual player wht u r zero..u better fit in commentary zone. As u said,You had a point to proove, but one performace cant proove it for u life long. U knw ur calibure, pls step aside from test team, it requires charector to perform in test which never been reflected by ur test records.

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 16:58 GMT

@Sunil Yadav
You are absolutely right. Dhoni is no longer fit to be the captian of the Indian team. He has simply become a caption, living on past greatness.

Vamshi179
on December 13, 2012, 15:10 GMT

Team Spirit is good????

Does that mean it was not good earlier?

Leave about team spirit, do we have a team to take 20 wickets consistently? If we answer this question, it does lot of good for indian circket

GowharGeelani
on December 13, 2012, 14:49 GMT

It does not amaze me one bit the way MS Dhoni has been hiding the bitter facts and living in a denial mode. He talks about one or two poor tests, or one bad series. This way he wants cricket lovers, in general, and his fans, in particular, to forget about the drubbing his side receieved at the hands of both England and Australia. Mr. Dhoni, it is not about one or two bad tests or just one bad series. It is about 0-4 whitewash in England, 0-4 whitewash in Australia and two more tests against England at home, which means the side led by you has lost 10 out of 11 tests against England and Australia in recent times. When your record is that bad, sensible and responsible captains who care for self-respect and team dignity would have resigned long back on moral grounds. The test debacles and clean sweeps in England and Australia would have been enough to let people know the man named MSD isn't fit to lead the test side and neither can he come into the test side as a certainty!!!

Matinhashmi
on December 13, 2012, 11:39 GMT

Dhoni should not blamed alone, every body is the responsible for the test defeat, batsman, bowler both. When he won the world cup everybody said Dhoni is the historical Captain, Dhoni intelligent etc. Now what happened. In my opinion, nothing wrong with his captaincy, some senior players couldnot deliver their full performance. If India change captain, they would not find the man like him. As a Pakistani fan of Dhoni,he is the greatest captain ever India has produced and if they loose him, they can not find the man like Dhoni.

SaiAnand19
on December 13, 2012, 11:21 GMT

I dont understand the people mentallity here...When India became the No.1 test side in Dec, 2009 under the captaincy of DHONI...the same people commenting wrong about India were praising India like anything and saying proud to be an Indian and we are the No.1 test side.... but now when they are not able to perform well, we should back them...instead of doing that raising questions and blamming the players is not going to win a game for India...

Dont criticize Dhoni, he is always different from others....

Dhoni Words,

"Whether it was the 2007 World Cup or when it was the 2011 World Cup, when people appreciate me, I don't go to seventh heaven and go outside my way"...
"In India we have extreme opinions. We praise someone very highly, and in a few games we start pulling the same individual down. I always say it's important to be in the middle path. That's how you will enjoy the sport. I have been quite good at maintaining that. Whether you win a game or lose it, the basics remainsame

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 10:44 GMT

Dhoni is best caption of India. What can he do when senior player not giving his best . remove senior player from team he will take best from new team.

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 10:40 GMT

Dhoni needs to show character first

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 10:16 GMT

even a win in Nagpur will not wash away the sins of 8-0 whitewash and the 2-2 draw which was supposedly the 'revenge' series as termed by our captain cool...

electric_loco_WAP4
on December 13, 2012, 8:47 GMT

It is easy asking ...but he himself show that himself. Alas all he can is ask...... he is one who has failed in that aspect big time...

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 8:37 GMT

Dhoni Says "India have the character to bounce back" Its funny that Dhoni gets advised from nice MBA Graduates who teaches how to speak with Media and People...

"India have the character to bounce back" - this comment is a Merely a Junk & Stupid Comment - Am wondering Till today after loses in both England Australia .. The team lacks to show character HA Ha Ha ..

And they have all senior player's whom has the caliber to to well, its nothing but too much of CLUB CRICKET which has spoiled this Gentleman's Game .. Very sorry About it ..

-Stephen

Fijicricket-2ndFather
on December 13, 2012, 8:17 GMT

Team India is going to enjoy the never-ending era of defeats now. They are going to start that historical era by losing their home series to England by 3-1. I can't see team India may recover from the rough patch they have are suffering from.

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 6:51 GMT

Enjoying this lively debate/discussion. The Indian fans have woken up that a cleansing is needed by dropping key players not scapegoats. The management and board will wake up when it's too late. Kolkata was 'Return to Eden' for the Poms. Nagpur will prove its name in the fourth innings- a snake's den. Get read for a 3-1 Indian Summer, yaar as the Poms sing HMV His Master's Voice.

SachinSawant16feb
on December 13, 2012, 6:47 GMT

@baskar_guha, i am not at all agree with you baskar,Indian fans and media is nothing in front of fans and media of European football, just study what they do when their team looses, dude.. its so simple we are not performing in tests since a year due to lack of winning spirit especially in tests...Solution : sack the players who r not performing, give chance to players who are currently in form in domestic circuit, and impossible solution : Stop or at least minimize the contracts of these guys with corporate BRANDS.....sooner or later we will be again No.1 Test team

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 6:26 GMT

This is very well said by our Captain as he does every time. But I think he should first look up to himself in order to improve the performance and team spirit of the team. Only speaking good and diplomatically will not change anything. He has to lead and perform himself in order to uplift the team from such situations. He needs to take a break and need to play in first class cricket or county cricket in order to assess his form and improve his technique.
One more question comes in my mind is about our Coach. I am not able to understand where is he and what is he doing???? It's a complete upside down in teams performance after the tenure of Gary. The players had a really good relationship, admiration and respect for him. What about Duncan???? We hardly hear a word from him.........We know that after the era of our Great two (Dravid & Laxman) the team will need some time to develop. But that doesn't mean that we have to take whitewashes and lose so miserably.

aashokan
on December 13, 2012, 6:20 GMT

The Indian Cricket Team does not know whether it is playing a 20/20 match or a 50/50 match or a 5 day match. It plays 20/20 like a 5 Day match and a 5 Day Match like a 20/20 and loses verything in sight. Since India has no other sport in which it can aspire, we all continue to support this team of losers. Spineless, gutless and CLUELESS is what this team is. All the BOSSES of the game want is to make money for themselves and the TEAM is but a tool.They are thick skinned enough to appear unaffected by popular sentiment.
A.Ashokan

h_kap
on December 13, 2012, 5:59 GMT

And India wants Dhoni to step up. Be a man and bow out of longer format of the game. It is not your cup of tea. You are better at gilli danda IPL so stick to that winning formula.

Samar_Singh
on December 13, 2012, 5:29 GMT

The best thing about Dhoni is, he is too diplomatic with his answers .. But diplomacy won't win you matches dear.. Dhoni was never a test match player neither is he now , nor he is a test wicket keeper ?? He is best for the shorter version only..

raj_n
on December 13, 2012, 5:08 GMT

Seeing Chawla and Jadeja in the test team, I feel I should have taken my game more seriously. Even I could have made millions. Hey Srini, can you give me a chance. I am also Sachins age and I can bowl, bat,field, appeal and sulk. I also have character stored up somewhere.

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 4:38 GMT

"Everybody asks the questions we also ask, but nobody comes with a solution,..."...LOL, We already came up with a solution, i.e., drop yourself from the team, but you will never take this suggestion I am sure...

here2rock
on December 13, 2012, 4:30 GMT

@ Ha8rick, "Make Gambhir the captain and watch how things turn back for the betterment of Indian cricket. His personal form will improve also!", are you kidding me? This guy does not even deserve to be in the side, ran out Shewag and Pujara. How are going to reward his efforts? Make him captian? Just what Indian cricket team needs at the moment.

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 3:56 GMT

why pick 4 spinners when you already have jadeja as a allrounder looks like ms dhoni hates rahane that guy will never get to bat as long as dhoni is captain

baskar_guha
on December 13, 2012, 3:34 GMT

I have to agree with Dhoni - Indian fans and media are simply over the top in their emotional ups and down. It cant be good for their own well being. Looking forward to a good match and may the better side win.

Dravid_Pujara_Gravitas
on December 13, 2012, 3:21 GMT

OMG, takes a nut to speak the way he spoke. Utter disgrace.

AvidCricFan
on December 13, 2012, 3:04 GMT

Th e Indian team has hardly shown any character in the last 12 test matches. No hopes that it will do again. Brace for another defeat. The bowling looks weaker. Chawla is a wrong selection. The selection committee has some balls to pick him.

AvidCricFan
on December 13, 2012, 3:00 GMT

It is ok to have Sachin around with the team. But keep him in the dressing room to advice young players, not on the ground when he turns into liability.

dummy4fb
on December 13, 2012, 2:22 GMT

Before anyone other i think you should have show some character. You are burden on the team. Only you can save Indian test & T20 Status by Quitting from both the formats.

cricfan35930398
on December 13, 2012, 2:15 GMT

I love that statement- MS Dhoni, India's under-fire captain. LOL

Ravs1504
on December 13, 2012, 2:15 GMT

MSD will do great in Politics... he's just too good.. come on man.. we've seen the enough characters shown by you and your team during the shamful whitewashes.. losses part of sport.. what was embarassing was the lack of fight ... spinesless display.. just some overrated , overhyped cricketers..worshipped by fools ...

SanjivAwesome
on December 13, 2012, 2:08 GMT

Dhoni, you and your team used to perform. The current record is not 2 losses, rather 10 out of 11 tests lost. That is a failure rate of 91%. I am disappointed to read your comments lacking in substance as to what you will "change" in order to reverse your performance record. If you don't change, the results too will remain unchanged. Same players, same mindset, same result.

drsambit
on December 13, 2012, 1:54 GMT

MSD should now perform or quit captaincy

Cricinfouser
on December 13, 2012, 1:35 GMT

While it is true that a captain is as good as his team and thus we can't really blame dhoni for his captaincy, he just doesn't deserve a place in the test team. His keeping is mediocre and his batting has just fallen apart. He just doesn't have the technique to play a moving ball, whether it is moving in the air (conventional or reverse swing) or moving of the pitch (fast bowlers bowling cutters or spinners spinning the ball). Like yuvi, he can handle it, if it is bowled below 140 km/h and bouncing below waist height and with no swing or movement off the pitch, kind of conditions he encounters in the one dayers. For test matches, both these batsmen (and raina as well) are completely inadequate. If we can drop the other two, why retain dhoni? For his captaincy skills? We already agreed a captain is only as good his team which is among the bottom 3 in the world right now. Make kohli the captain, he seems to enjoy that kind of attention (as such will not affect his batting further).

Natx
on December 13, 2012, 1:04 GMT

The only way to bring the character back is to the test team is by throwing a "lump-sum" to grandpas (sachin, shewag, gambit) and thank them for their services, and fire the non-playing captain dhoni! He already earned millions so doesn't need to paid a penny more. Thankfully the other grandpas are already kicked out (zaheer, bhajji, yuvraj). Now time to move in and throw the killer punch by cleaning up the remaining oldies. Also the biggest grandpa of all (Fletcher) needs to be fired and be given an one way flight ticket to the place of his choice!

wrenx
on December 13, 2012, 0:37 GMT

Just like many other payers from the sub-continent, this bunch are psychologically weak. Gambhir especially. It doesn't take long to confirm suspicions. Just like Umer Gul - he never gets hit for one boundary, they always come in pairs. This Indian side is full of talk, but always wilts when pressure is applied. England steadily batted them out of games in 2011, Australian bowlers ran rampant over them. Less talk, how about some more cricket from a team that can do so much better.

here2rock
on December 13, 2012, 0:27 GMT

Mr Dhoni, this Indian team does not have character. This was blown away by England 4-0, Australia 4-0, did it show character back then? Why would it be any different this time? As an Indian suppporter I am hoping you lose so you can be removed as the captain of this side. He is backing Gautam Gambhir again, the man who ran out Shewag and Pujara in the last match, his mode of dissimisal has been almost the same in the last few matches, angling the bat and getting caught behind, he refuses to learn and yet you back the same player.

Natraja
on December 13, 2012, 0:17 GMT

cricinfo you are biased and blocking posts that support Dhoni. You are a part of oust Dhoni campaign. good bye. Will not be reading cricinfo any more.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 23:56 GMT

Dhoni quit cricket and get out

lovepork
on December 12, 2012, 23:52 GMT

Look who is talking?? Dhoni get out of your shell and show some courage and aggression, you are a confused, passive man with no planning, I think you should give up test captaincy before it is being taken away from you, also do some strokeplay in batting which you used to do 7-8 years back and lets not talk about your keeping, good luck!

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 23:40 GMT

Says the guy whose team was whitewashed 4-0 twice in the last year.

enthusiastic
on December 12, 2012, 23:20 GMT

Dhoni, ofcourse you are enjoying cricket, since we are losing cosnsistently not just ovrseas but at home as well. Dhoni also says A series or two or a rough patch…well mr.captain we were thrashed in Australia and England in the distant past just in case you have forgotten. Shocking attitude after so many failures. Accept your weaknesses and work towards it instead of justifying.

bgshankar
on December 12, 2012, 22:53 GMT

Dhoni: "It's not like soccer where players play from a specific area....". I thought in cricket there are specific area/roles mastered by players. Special - openers, middle orders, 7th down, keeper, spin bowler, fast bowler, pinch hitter, slip catcher, left, right etc. Dhoni can say any crap...

shravester
on December 12, 2012, 22:04 GMT

For the sake of Indian cricket, I'm hoping India loses the final test also, so that it shakes up the Indian cricket and changes the way the game is approached.
Also, my biggest hatred is towards IPL - it has killed Indian cricket and its cricketers. The worst people hit are the fans, like me, who are hit hard

tests_the_best
on December 12, 2012, 22:03 GMT

It's one thing to show fight and character, quite another to assess one's talents. Whatever happens in this coming test and the aus series, there are certain givens for the indian team. Dhoni shouldn't play in abroad tests (simply no technique), see how useful a mark boucher/matt prior have been for their teams. For a long time under vvs' shadow, dhoni's batting was protected, not anymore. Ashwin should be retained one way or the other in the side and potentially made a no 6 batsman. He actually batted quite well in aus so he's no flat track bully. Umesh and Aaron should be sent over for a brief stint at county cricket, so do pujara/kohli. Great teams aren't made overnight, it takes several years. After many years of consistent performances, india reached its peak in 2010. SA are peaking right now. If india lays the groundwork now, maybe we would have a good/great team by 2015.

australia has struggled to find replacement , india has got wonders like saha, baba aparjith, manoj tiwary, ravindra jadeja, ajinkya rahane, ashok menaria. but indian management is boggled by t-20 cricketers including pujara who is good but not good enough for foreign conditions, but if i were his guider i would ask him agression to calm down which wil make him the best, but my point is msd is a fantastic odi cricketer, same wid yuvraj, kohli, sehwag, gambhir, y did india pick dem for tests .its like asking crows to battle rather asking eagles . y dint india go with balaji who is gud in indian conditions, y not wid munaf who is consistent over line and length, y not iqbal abdulla, y not jaidev unakdt, we are india, this is not a joke wen an inappropriate unit is picked, not joke wen underperforming players are enjoying , regarding msd yes he is not fit to be in indian tests but for tym being there is not a quality person to replace him

nikunjonly
on December 12, 2012, 20:40 GMT

why Dhoni himself go out and ask Kholi or Gambhir to do Captaincy and play with another batsman keeper like.....Saha... also gine chance to Pravin kumar who is batter bolwer than Sharma....and Khan....

goodwill12
on December 12, 2012, 20:36 GMT

Dhoni is speaking like a top performer. He and many others in Indian team would have been dropped by any other team in the world based on their horrible performances over last few years.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 20:28 GMT

Mr. Dhoni you said he same stuff about character and all when your team was trailing 0-3 in England and also 0-3 in Australia. We'r still waiting for your team to show character. Now you say that we are not supposed to judge you guys based on two tests but what about the 8-0 drubbing your team recieved in England and Australia when do you expect us to judge? after 20 straight losses?

Kangroos.Proteas.Monkeys.Lions
on December 12, 2012, 19:59 GMT

Dhoni you area great and India should not make you a scapegoat. Board should give you free hand in selection and power to drop non performing players. I admire your approach about finding new talent. You also need a coach who can discipline like Chappel. You certainly cannot field for all the players and bat or bowl for them. Once you did bowl and it was laughing stock. Anyway, with this team which is torn apart you can only dream of results.

Nutcutlet
on December 12, 2012, 19:58 GMT

Good! If the spirit is as upbeat in the Indian camp as Dhoni insists it is, then we can look forward to a thoroughly competitive match. The truth of his words will be borne out by the way the Indian team tough it out through those passages of play when things aren't going well & the way in which they field (like gazelles) & the manner in which their batsmen resist playing high risk shots (as if it's the 19th over of a T20). I am glad that he has made such positive statements. Tomorrow, the proof of the pudding...

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 19:57 GMT

Only thing it lacks is quality batsmen and bowlers...
It is shameful that senior players do not perform and hog their place in team and do not allow deserving players to make it to the team...

Guyz, i m a Pakistani fan, i m really laughing at reading indian fans comments, give your players some space dont just criticize, they got a bad patch but will reccover soon, the problem is not batting of India, it is the bowling that is to worry about... The same captain has not just won 2 world cups but has taken the Indian team to No. 1 spot in tests also

fguy
on December 12, 2012, 19:33 GMT

i can only laugh at how dhoni & bcci are saying "be patient, everyone has the occasional loss" & "its only 2 test losses" & conveniently forgetting or thinking we indian fans had forgotten the 0-8 losses before that

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 19:12 GMT

Yes, India have the character to bounce back, but I don't believe the spirit in the dressing room is good. They've just lost 2 test on the bounce at home...you do the maths.

funkypiston
on December 12, 2012, 19:10 GMT

A captain is only good until his team performs. As much blame Dhoni deserves the blame with bowling changes, I think its unfair to single him out. India's storied batting line up is the one letting them down. Barring Pujara and Ashwin, none of the batsmen were consistent thus far. Forget about scoring runs, atleast show some grit by displaying an intent to stay at the wicket but instead the top order has perished to bad shots. The fans do not deserve this from a ridiculously over paid team. I really hope England wins the series and major changes are introduced in the Indian team.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 18:53 GMT

Petty votes wont work here MSD.. He needs reality check..

killbillgbu
on December 12, 2012, 18:51 GMT

Dhoni MUST continue as captain. He is the best choice today. An Ex-selector can come and say sack him and put Gambhir in his place. If you do that, you lose a batsman. Gambhir should fight for his place in the side. The only other thinking cricketer in the side now is R. Ashwin. He is too young. I would ask him to open the innings. He is really an alrounder. I also think Irfan Pathan needs to come back to the test side for a little while to replace Zaheer. Not a young and inexperienced fast bowler. The best side for the final test from India perspective is: Sehwag, R. Ashwin, Pujara, Tendulkar, Kohli, S. Badrinath, R. Jadeja, Dhoni(Capt), Irfan pathan, Ojha, Vinay kumar(He has not played tests in India).

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 18:49 GMT

give the guy a break... he has won us 2 world cups and taken us to number 1 in tests..... tru fans are those who support their team and captain... in good times and bad... great football teams like MAN UTD have had lean spells....bt still they havent lost faith in ferguson....same applies with dhoni and sachin.... chill guys...

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 18:49 GMT

Way to go MSD...Thats a positive speech to say the least..India need to win tomorrow's match...Well everyone talks about his technique and his perfomances in test matches...I agree he is not upto the same standard of ODIs but still he is the best bet for WK/Batsman at no. 7...he averages around 35 in last 10 test matches...and everyone's perfomance is under scrutiny...Team is under rebuilding process now after the two greats retired...and hes still the best captain at this stage..Kohli is his successor which needs time to settle in both formats before passing on the batton.....MS Dhoni , Real Indian team supporters are with you and team India...ppl will always have something to say....all the best...!!

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 18:44 GMT

Frankly speaking I love this guy for what he has done for the Indian cricket. I mean how many can boast of winning a world cup for India apart from Kapil Dev. But I feel test cricket needs someone better than him. In any case, there is certainly too much pressure on him leading in all 3 formats and that too for a cricket crazy nation like India. I would rather want him to concentrate on his batting/keeping in the longer version and play uninhibited cricket in the shorter version. Let us all get behind our team in this hour of need and back them to hilt. I just hope and pray that they play to the best of their abilities and give a best possible fight back. Winning and losing is altogether a different matter, but at least they shouldn't back down against the opposition.

ParaGSP
on December 12, 2012, 18:37 GMT

Why wouldnt the team spirit be not good ? I mean just recently the bowling coach mentioned a line that is often repeated in dressing room : " Zak is back" Thats what they call him, based on his performance (oh never mind he was dumped from test squad, he is top 6 bowler in world).

So the team that believes Zak is back, must be telling one another : gambhir has solid defense, Viru is consistent opener, Kohli is in great form and is good for 100 everyday, tendulkar is best batsman at #4 in world, Bhajji is superb-his doosra, teesra and chautha are mesmerizing the opponents, Dhoni's keeping is great batting even greater, Ishant is giving nightmares to Cook and Co., Ashwin/ Ojha are best spinners in world. If 11 people are feeding each other such statements (LIES) then I believe the team spirit will be very very high amongst them :)

Introspection is word unknown to this bunch so their spirits must be absolutely through roof !

maddy20
on December 12, 2012, 18:24 GMT

@King-Cobra
Very well put. You took the words right outta my mouth. I also think Kohli and Sachin(well Sachind does not deserve to be in the team in any format). Gambhir is the best man to replace Dhoni in tests. Rahane, Tiwary, Badrinath can take the spots vacated by these three. Its a real shame that Tiwary is not even being considered. The guy has excellent temperament and does not throw away his wicket when runs are hard to come by. Our behind was always saved by batsmen, and now that we dont have Dravid, Laxman, Dada etc., English pinners who average close to 30 are wreaking havoc herei Swann is ok but a spinner bowling around the 90K mark relies more on line and length than turn and its embarrassing that we cannot even handle that. Regardless, I still believe this current team can still win if they really want to. They should get stuck in instead of gifting early Christmas presents to the Englishmen by hitting full-tosses to fielders or by running themselves out!

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 18:20 GMT

Captain cool. Still the best man to lead India in all 3 forms. Undisputable, as per me.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 18:19 GMT

wel... i too feel for dhoni...for me i would say he is one of the legend for indian cricket...i can understand ne's feelings when he is under pump specially being a cricketer...he have great cricket mind nd i belive he will make statement in the 4th test

ethijanaki
on December 12, 2012, 18:18 GMT

Mr.Dhoni when will you show your character.What have you achieved as captain/Player/WK in the past one year in test cricket/T20.I haven't seen Indian team perform as bad as this.You are a very good politician and a very bad cricketer.My dear Sachin Tendulkar i loved you soo much but now i hate you the most.You are soo selfish and even though you are failing again and again you have no idea about retiring.For the sake of the team and country why don't you retire and give your place to a youngster.You are one of the greats and you have nothing to prove to anyone but now you are spoiling your hard earned name and glory and also hurting the team.Mr.Srinivasan stop saving Dhoni as he is the captain of the IPL Franchise you own.Look at the larger picture and do something good for the Indian team.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 18:07 GMT

I agree with Mr Dhoni that there is a lot of pressure on Indian cricketers. Maybe it is because this is the only sport in which India has a global presence. On the other hand, the cricket stars are paid well to bear the burden of public expectation. I think the public does appreciate a sincere effort. Given my Indian origins, I do. So, I hope the Indian team puts in its BEST effort this time.

arvind9990
on December 12, 2012, 18:07 GMT

100% right mr. dhoni please show your real character in this teat match . we all are always there for you in every situation so don"t worry about the odds . yesterday i had a discussion with my bother he told me that "india don"t have the guts to fight back against england" so i told just few lines " jeet jayenge hum tu agger sang hai "

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 18:04 GMT

Thalaiva u r great !!! We are always there for u to Support :) India will bounce back :) :)

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 18:00 GMT

I can't understand why all people are consider dhoni as a Specialist batsman... He is a wicket keepr batsman.. Which indian Wicket keeper have records like him.. When we compare it with others.. they are no where near... still all are worries with his batting form and captaincy.. Even sachin also in bad batting form. And i couldn't see any bad decision he took in this series that cause the reason for failure. All are complaining about the decision about pitch. It is common in wolrd cricket to make friendly wicket for home side. It was bad performance from Indian spinners that cause the failure. If Pannesar and Swann can take most number of wickets, then ashwin, ojha n harbajan can't ? all have to re think again to know about the reason of failures.

Strikeforce2007
on December 12, 2012, 17:54 GMT

This is s changed guy talking on pocketfuls of cash, seemingly talking of cricket or team, as a pastime or hobby in his talk. Its a logic he only understands!
Unlike other sportsmen, captain calibre apart, world over !
giddiup and goodbye lad..

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 17:53 GMT

There is no alternative.Dhoni bacame a little overconfident and arrogant with world cup success . Also srinivasans (CSK + BCCI) backing made him more arrogant . This attitude made him enemy of most of the players . They know success he will take the credit . Practically if Dhony can again become a team man there is no better alternative than dhoni. But getting back that confidence and relationship is difficult. England came well prepared and are planning well now , we are missing in it

MeeraKrishna
on December 12, 2012, 17:46 GMT

When Dhoni said he is speculating aout quiting captaincy by 2013 end..no one accpeted then..no people want him to end by 2012...hahahaha...The problem with India is the bench strength or does it seem so...I mean the selectors are either not able to identify the talent or talents are being denied...let the BCCI invest in a ranking system for the domestic players similar to what ICC does..based on ranking let the top performing players pick themselves..this would make the selection process more transparent..now people would start saying form is temp and class is permanent..I would say form is what going to win you matches...classy players with patchy form are not going to help...By investing in the ranking system, the BCCI would make an 1 time expense and no one would be blamed in the future for selecting / not selcting the right squad...

wibblewibble
on December 12, 2012, 17:42 GMT

Can't believe no-one is looking at Sehwag. I know to Indians he is almost a living god, but that is because of his awesome staying power combined with outrageous skill and boundary hitting.

He seems to have lost the staying power, and now is failing to convert starts frequently. Eg, in the last test, India could have been 200-0 in the second innings if they hadn't lost the flurry of wickets, and it would have been a very different game.

I don't blame Sehwag, he plays his own game, and is brilliant at it, but an opener has to set the scene for the team - big runs, no drama, no wickets. There is always a place for a player of Sehwag's skill, but it should be at 4 or 5.

Drop Kohli, push Sehwag to 4, get the best young opener in India in there at the top of the order.

Kohli is not good, he has many technical flaws and his average is overinflated due to playing weak opposition (NZ). Average of 17 this series, 27 vs WI, 35 vs Aus, 106 vs NZ.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 17:42 GMT

Why he has to address this when India is down, and lost 10 of 11 test against England. Can a character be sleepy and wakes up on Dhoni's call.
Team needs drastic changes, go for new blood who are hungry for Cricket not MONEY

makkunda
on December 12, 2012, 17:39 GMT

shut up all of you
stop criticing . first look at the way you people write- illiterates. dhoni is much better off. let cook harp on this fliuke success. he has just started and he is lucky that most of his bowlers and batsmen are under 30 except swann who is a very poor bowler and is 34 so dont expect him to play for long . KP IS not so great. why are you supporting the colonial . who cares if we lose it is just a god damn sport which was inveNted by the british for fun so let it be for fun. why so much overimportance to cricket. there are other games under fire. the boxing federation has been banned so has archery so has been baned as well IOA. dhoni is the best wicketkeeoper the only indian with 20o catches. when saha was given a chance in the last test in australia he did nothing great. it is a just a game so stop harping it. all this importance effects no one. mr cobra you eat your own poison as you should give up as a writer T20, ODI AN TETS HAVE NO DIFFRENCE AS

The_bowlers_Holding
on December 12, 2012, 17:37 GMT

For those calling for Gambhir to replace MSD, consider his performances in the 2nd innings of the last test; after Sehwag got out he lost his bottle and started playing rash shots and the team capitulated. That was when as a senior batsman he needed to take responsibility and show a big pair of shoulders- he wasn't up to the task. From within the team it is difficult to find a better choice than the current captain, Kohli is patchy at test level and seemingly undiplomatic and reactionary when taliking to the media. Tough decision, who knows India might win this test, and the ODI's etc and everything will be hunky dory.

Alexk400
on December 12, 2012, 17:32 GMT

India will lose next Test in Nagpur. We all want to rally behind dhoni , but the reality is india do not have bowlers to take wickets. India never had. India is always a good team to draw games when dravid was anchoring the team. Only time india winning Test is when sehwag clicks out of his million mood swings. Even i want india to win but it can draw if sehwag scores belligerant 200. Indian bowlers good enough if we can put up 600 runs on board. Unfortunately not happening with sachin and over hyped pujara and kohli (atleast they are young). We need self believers. Everyone can't play like sehwag, they all should grind runs like sachin. Sachin should be role model in scoring runs unless you have natural ability of sehwag. Dinda and unknown avana not going to do much. Even dhoni want to make us believe that india will go down fighting , i doubt india can do that. Because i never seen a change in attitude in 10-0 loss. I can accept losses but surrendering meekly is unacceptable.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 17:27 GMT

Dhoni, you guys may be enjoying the failures but we are not... It is not that you have to win all the games but there is competition, no fight, no game plan. PLEASE learn the lessons from your peers like Strauss, Ponting and others.

achyuthsun
on December 12, 2012, 17:20 GMT

This is just talking without any action. Dont worry MSD you have the BCCI president by your side. Just do well for CSK, you can retain Indian captaincy as long as you want.

Selassie-I
on December 12, 2012, 17:16 GMT

Dhoni "a series or two.. or a rough patch" I think it's time to bow out after the series - you are clearly delusional MS! Don't you mean 2 whitewashes and staring at a comprehensive defeat at home by a team who you spent 18 months talking about getting revenge on, reversing 4-0 whitewashes, wait till they come to India blah blah blah blah.

Although you did beat New Zeland in between... a country with 0.2% of the population and money in cricket.

Strikeforce2007
on December 12, 2012, 17:16 GMT

Until 5 years earlier, indians were coming go terms with their cricketers earning monies, arc earned off their game. Why not? as professionals they were ordained for it!
5 years later, we find that these guys ain't professiobsl "sportsmen", they run Noreen on mass media and hysteria, loading that aggression as 'athletes' or ' sporstmen' should carry in a sport, importantly when playing under their flag.
Further, they have made in such a haven, privately run, hordes of foe not deserving their abilities in a 'sport'. watching accross continents, I furl that currently since 2008 or so, Indian cricketers are demonised, made to look larger than life, even as no one ever got monies easier in tough economic times set in since 2008.
economic times have come, when these erstwhile shackles of non-performers paid so well in sport, paid by and for the public, need to perform.
Their dictator like money making boards need to have such ideals.
Past cricketers who lost out on big bucks, hard luck!

Selassie-I
on December 12, 2012, 17:03 GMT

Dhoni "we could come from behind and draw the series, beacuse we did that 5 years ago" still living on past achievements. He'll probably tell everyone after the test series " we lost, but we thrashed England last year in the ODIs so it's okay"

If England win, it's 7-1 in tests over home and away, that's a terrible record. Especially when basically everything in this series has been set up for India to win.

VickGower
on December 12, 2012, 17:00 GMT

King Cobra, Ganguly the captain inherited a set of upcoming Giants. He did not dig up and install people like Sachin, Dravid, Laxman, Kumble, okay? He inherited these people in the prime of their lives, while Dhoni has had to preside over the autumn and winter of these giants. I agree that the No 1 ranking was false, still Dhoni deserves as much credit for managing something with aging seniors as much as Ganguly for having so much talent in the prime of their lives.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 16:56 GMT

About Gambir, me mentioned "He has been batting well in the last few games"!!! Well, is he referring to his on-field performance OR something else that we don't get to see!

tylerhans
on December 12, 2012, 16:54 GMT

one we had to drag out, one went to satisfy his ego, one went for personal pride, one is still hanging around with a dream to see a stable team. With a look at his fort knox, with a look at his medal gallery, with a look at his herculean statistic, one day he will cry out "Enough" and then be done with this dream for thankless people. That is the day I wait for, since I want to see him bat till I die, but I cannot see him viled and spited for his dream.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 16:50 GMT

Dhoni you are good player but u are not a leader like Dada, STOP trying to save ur ass and perform or quit anyways you earn enuf in IPL and Advertisement how much more do you want ? test cricket does not suit you.

Rahulbose
on December 12, 2012, 16:48 GMT

There is no need to check the character of this side. They have been displaying it well throughout the year. Now when is the declaration coming?

Nampally
on December 12, 2012, 16:46 GMT

"Chances win matches". Cook had lives in all three tests very early in his innings - like dropped at 17 in Kolkatta- out @190. If India only had taken those chances India may have been at least 2-0. Fielding & catches are crucial. With Jadeja & Chawla both in XI (for ZAK & Yuvi), these 2, should improve grossly. Focus on strong fielding & good field placement to eliminate free boundaries. Secondly batsmen when set must not give away their wkts. to "reckless shots" like Gambhir, Yuvraj & Tendulkar did. Play focussed like Ashwin did. Gambhir should stop fishing outside the off. Discipline & patience in batting is critical. This is where Cook taught India a lesson. Dhoni must use all his 4 spinners intelligently especially for Cook, KP & Prior. He never used Yuvraj in last 2 Tests!. KP is weak against LH spinners. Chawla with stock ball- googly- may be an X-factor. He needs to be accurate & mix his trajectory to suit. All these factors are well known but India never follows them & loses!

VickGower
on December 12, 2012, 16:28 GMT

Matt Prior is a substandard keeper, Freewheeler. We will all realize what it means to have a really good wicketkeeper like Dhoni when he is gone. It would be ideal to have a great all rounder at that position like Gilchrist. It would also be great if One of India's top order batsmen could be like Kallis. In the meantime, just as Ashwin's first job is to bowl, Dhoni's first job is to keep. If Saha is really as good a glove as everyone says he is, and also more consistent a batsman than Dhoni, then he should certainly be in the frame. But let's not be silly. One should not pass judgment on a captain when he has a set of constantly failing batsmen, junk bowlers, and junk fielders. Let us give him at least one functional unit before we judge his performance. Bottom line: this is a team in transition. To eliminate Dhoni's great knowledge and experience and temperament would be be a disaster at this point.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 16:28 GMT

<Contd>
However in the two T20 matches, we will see a different Dhoni because there he knows the game like the back of his hand. So a split captaincy is not a bad idea. Let Dhoni stay as captain in ODIs and T20s. But there is no justification for keeping him in the Test squad - neither as skipper, nor as player. Its curtains for him there. I feel that will benefit both Dhoni as well as the Indian team.

davidatlas999
on December 12, 2012, 16:24 GMT

I remember once a reporter ask from younas khan about dhoni when he on prime. he said.dhoni is riding on his luck.we will see him when luck did not work for him.and people will eat him.any one remember ?
What a genuse sir jee.

chakra04
on December 12, 2012, 16:23 GMT

"If you are part of Indian cricket, everything is under the microscope, and everybody has an opinion about cricket," he said. "Everybody asks the questions we also ask, but nobody comes with a solution, which is the brilliant part. That's how it goes in India." - He still doesn't seem to understand that since he is playing for the same India and it's attitude that he is criticizing, he is able to earn that much money. In any other country, he wouldn't even have been part of the test team let alone captain it and he should feel happy about that instead of criticizing it.

ankush0531
on December 12, 2012, 16:17 GMT

England will win series 3-1.our spinners are looking very ordinary against english batsman.on the contra, swann and monty looking very dangerous.If Nagpur wicket would turn from first day , England will have benefited.

VivSingh
on December 12, 2012, 16:09 GMT

I'll never forget that look in his eyes as he hit the winning 6 in the 2011 World Cup final. It was an iconic photograph. Whatever may happen in the future I'm proud of this man.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 16:03 GMT

@Suresh M. Nair
Comparing apples and oranges are we? Anyone with a modicum of cricket knowledge can understand the fact that performing in ODIs and Tests call for different skills and temperaments. Of course, there are people who have done well in both, but that does not mean everybody can do so. Same with Dhoni. He is undoubtedly great as both player and captain in ODIs and T20 matches. Full marks to him for the World Cup win, though several of the other team members also contributed. However, he has never been a great Test player; he is even worse in away series. Just gon through the records. Earlier players like Dravid and Laxman could bail him out. Not any longer. Plus his captaincy in Tests sucks. Unless he lacks confidence, why would he keep shouting about turning pitches. Did Ganguly, Dravid or Kumble ask for the same as captain, at least publicly? And how did they lead the team abroad? Face the facts. The answer is self-evident. Dhoni is poor in Tests <contd>

passionatecricbug
on December 12, 2012, 16:02 GMT

Why the hell you wouldn't be under pressure. You have lost 10 of your last 11 matches. How bad it can go? If you are still relaxed this shows you are dumb and not that you are cool.

srisharma_12
on December 12, 2012, 15:55 GMT

Dhoni is my inspiration.It is impossible to win the World Cup without him,coming with a big knock 91 is not a easy task that too in the World Cup final.Don't forget his decision to come up in the batting order gives a 120 crore people happiness.All the best.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 15:40 GMT

I appreciate Dhonis views. He has taken a lesson from Bhagavat Geeta and viewed happenings accordingly. Best suck Dhoni.

someswar

krvij
on December 12, 2012, 15:35 GMT

Mr.Dhoni, please, Indian fans have been tolerating since Eng tour last year. What more do you expect? One off failure is fine, but Indian team's performance against good teams has been awful since 2011 and this is beyond any reasonable fan can tolerate. Best thing for you is to stop talking and show the results...at least some good competitive performance if not a win!

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 15:30 GMT

Undoubtedly dhoni is the best wicketkeeper batsman India ever produced. I prefer him to play like old dhoni. As i told before stripping of captaincy from Dhoni is blessing for him as a player.

ProdigyA
on December 12, 2012, 15:25 GMT

Its getting rediculous now. Its not one series or two test matches you crack, its been 10 losses in 11 matches how is that even comprehedable. Do us a favour, after this test match pls pls step down from tests as a captiain and player too. You and your best pal Srinivasan can go for drinks every night after that. Even if India wins this match, i really dont want to see Dhoni, Sehwag and Sachin again.

jerryman
on December 12, 2012, 15:24 GMT

I guess change in needed .. if India save this game .. all the players will be saved for the next 2-3 years ... anyway time to move on.. hopefully the indian coach will do what the NZ coach did and drop Dhoni and say it was a miscommunication.. he meant only to drop him as caption from tests .. stranger thinhs have happened.. Tendulkar is a big fan of Celine dion .. he is possibly singing my cricket will go on and on.. big decisions to be made in the next few days for the Indian selectors .. be catalysts of change or maintain the status quo.. the choice is yours ...

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 15:23 GMT

My only wish for BCCI is to remove Dhoni from Test Cricket Scenario.

pr3m
on December 12, 2012, 15:21 GMT

"He can transform starts into a big innings."

So when is he gonna resume doing that?

Natraja
on December 12, 2012, 15:20 GMT

Those who think Dhoni doesn't deserve a place in test team, I would like to remind that he deserves his place simply as a wicket keeper who can contribute with bat. Just compare any wicket keeper batsman in the world/India and let us know how many of them are better WK/Bat then Dhoni. HIs captaincy and match winning ability is a bonus for the team. No captain can win the match if his specialist batsmen cant score runs and bowlers cant take a wicket. Jeeze it seems there is some sort of political campaign against Dhoni by vested interests.

starincricket
on December 12, 2012, 15:19 GMT

That is Dhoni.... with his leadership skills.. Dhoni is the right person to rebuild the team.. it ll be biggest mistake in cricket history , if dhoni removed from captaincy..

i think this team need more test match with other teams as well means other than top teams..

Without rahul,vvs and kumble..we won matches but not with top teams.

The bad patch ll take sometime to convert into good one.. like australia faced when gilli,warne, mcgrath gone...

People have to understand.. this ll take atleast around a year for any Team..

Because Test cricket needs lot of patience,technique,energy, fitness and focus than any other format.

youngsters need sometime to use with conditions on both home and away..

its not matter to remove captain here. its matter to rebuild a strong team with good bench players after the lose of genious like rahul,vvs and kumble..

I think sachin shd be there till we made this...........!!

stonysat
on December 12, 2012, 15:17 GMT

Mr. Dhoni.......Let Mr.Master (Sachin) to open the batting with Gambhir followed by Sehwag... you definately find the result..

Indian_Cricket_Fanatic
on December 12, 2012, 15:08 GMT

I hope Dhoni and Co and walk the talk and make it count for India. India havnt lost a series in India for a long time now and We so hope this one is in our hands as well.
Best of Luck India. Legends gone. Sachin's poor form and many reasons can be found out for a poor performance but lets forget all and conecentrate on the nagpur game. Win it at any cost India.
And for that matter, if team India should feel that they have to show character only when they are down in the series, I must recommend them to consider themselves down in the series before the start of the next series.

Freewheeler
on December 12, 2012, 14:57 GMT

MSD should use the same no-nonsense attitude (that has carried him through success) to assess his place in the test side. The truth is that MSD does NOT have the skills, the technique, nor the temperament to cope with the rigors of test match cricket. He is a fantastic player for ODI and T20 formats, but certainly not Tests. His test place should rightfully go to Wriddhiman Saha who has a better domestic avg. than MSD, and is, without doubt, the best gloveman in the country. He certainly won't set the field on fire, but then, when has MSD set the field on fire in test matches? Saha appears to be a pesky and gritty character - something we certainly need in the lower middle order. If he fails after a run of ten consecutive tests, either Parthiv or Dinesh Karthik could be handed the role. We need to take a page from England's approach - Matt Prior, who on current form, is the best wicketkeeper-batsman in the world in tests, still struggles to find a place in their ODI and T20 teams.

Alexk400
on December 12, 2012, 14:56 GMT

Dhoni has to go. I told that before this test series started. I always think Captain is good only if players under him ready to play for him. After dhoni world cup win he truimpheted he won the world cup alone , he sealed his fate. Players stopped playing for him. Thats last straw. 10-0 That numbers is telling. Even though he is not directly contributed to loss , he was indirectly by not inspiring leader he once was. He has to go . He must go along with useless duncan fletcher. Indians do not need technical brilliant coach. What india need is father figure for emotional indian bunch. Coach job in india is not to create politics in indian team. He needs to treat everyone same. The main reason we select foreign coaches because we think he won't play zonal politics and mess up the team. Duncan played his own politics like greg chappell. He should be fired immediately. People say no one to take place of dhoni. Bunch of bollocks. If you do not give chance to young blood , you never know.

Triple_A
on December 12, 2012, 14:51 GMT

There are always two sides to a coin. Yes, everyone in India has a view on how the national team should be run ( some are just bizarre and plain ignorant ). But, on the other hand, the team players should be liable for their performances. Most of them are earning millions of dollars a year, and it is the public right to criticize and reject abysmal performances like those seen in the past 2 years by the test team. And it is the obligation of the players to play well to earn those fat checks. I don't see any team spirit or commitment for their country in the younger players. Most of them are content with playing flashy innings in the IPL and sitting at home for the rest of the year..how else do you explain the dearth in talent in India right now, but sudden abundance during April/ May. Srinivas and Dhoni are killing test cricket ...they have become the politicians of cricket in India!

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 14:41 GMT

ya i totally agree with uu dhoni...u should be the same as u were earlier - flamboyant ......i totally support uuu ...in this crisis....

"In India we have extreme opinions. We praise someone very highly, and in a few games we start pulling the same individual down." this is especially applicable to Dhoni. after the world cup he was said to be the best Indian captain in all 3 formats according to the highly critical Ganguly. since then Dhoni's Test team didn't do their job in the past 2 series against England and Australia. now they're falling short against England. the bowling 'attack', never that strong, is now especially weak. the batting, which used to be India's strength especially at home, is also brittle. the fielding has to be the worst among all Test teams and a complete and utter joke. and yet everyone blames Dhoni as if he's responsible for their performances! he can only captain the team he's given. its a very mediocre team in terms of Test skills, so the results are naturally mediocre as well. its stupid to ask Dhoni to resign at this point.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 14:34 GMT

I wish Dhoni would lead his team as he said to victory becouse INDIA anyway are not going to win the series . So it is better to win this match than losing the match . I would go for an INDIA win becouse the INDIAN team captain is very very confident . If ENGLAND wins , i will never believe Dhoni . INDIA's reputation is at stake . INDIA win it for me . chak de INDIA

jimbond
on December 12, 2012, 14:32 GMT

What about rumours that Dhoni has complained against Gambhir for not giving his best (because apparently Gambhir is a threat to his captaincy)?

Jaggadaaku
on December 12, 2012, 14:25 GMT

"This is the time the Team-India show character"? Come on Mr. captain, first you need to show the character. The bowler Ashwin shows the character each time team India fail comprehensively, and including you. I laughed hysterically after reading under fire captain Dhoni. He never be under fire. Mr. Cold never become under fire. I mean it is a situation like "Chullu bhar pani me dub maro". Sachin Tendulkar, the run machine, the century machine, barely reaches double figure. The captain always gets fail when team really need him. Kohli's highest score is 20 in 5 innings, but still in the team. Gambhir blasted 2 unnecessary half centuries, but killed 2 great batsmen on the other hand by his own fault. What is this? Show some professional and character cricket. If Ashwin can show, why not Sachin, the highest run and centuries maker? These days, any bowler, I mean, any bowler can get Sachin's wicket.

Alexk400
on December 12, 2012, 14:17 GMT

There is no one can beat dhoni in talking. Problem is this 10-0. Ultimately india is losing badly against top tier teams under his captaincy. he wanted to get rid of old guys. Dravid , Kumble , VVS gone. Next he has to go for me. I still think he is great in ODI. i would appoint new "YOUNG" captain for all formats. We may have growing pains with young captain..there better than losses with old team. Dhoni should be politician. He is better fit. May be prime minister of india one day?.

King-Cobra
on December 12, 2012, 14:12 GMT

Continued, And for people asking about the replacements I don't have any immediate choices, but surely there are people better than Dhoni right now in the team. Name someone for ex, Gambhir, and start monitoring the process. Let me tell you this: It doesn't hurt to see a team that is evolving but still losing a game here and there. But it does hurt to see a team which is consistently failing and not willing to improve, just finding an excuse and keep saying 'We need to FORGET this and move on' -- Sorry guys, the England/Australia 8-0 thrashings will remain in our memories and will only subside when we avenge them with a more or less equivalent feat. For that to happen, to start with, Dhoni has to step out.

htenneti
on December 12, 2012, 14:11 GMT

Dhoni is good at defending these situations by making statements which sound genuine and truthful ! may be they are. The reality is that we were complacent and underprepared. The same happened when we went to England. The visitors did their homework well, trained better and were fitter. You cannot win test matches by chance , that probably happens in T-20 and may be One-Day. We might go on and win at Nagpur- that does not change the reality- Its time for a Overhaul in Indian Test Cricket and it needs to be done with much thought, plan, keeping next 10 years in mind.

King-Cobra
on December 12, 2012, 14:07 GMT

Dhoni should understand that test cricket and T20-ODI cricket are different in lot of aspects. While he may still claim that he won us world cups in T20 and WC2011, he cannot boast of any such success in tests. He has not acheived anything in that arena - I shall never account the No.1 ranking we acheived in 2010 under his belt, because the ground work for that was laid by Ganguly/Wright and carried on by the other greats. The true colour of what he has acheived in test cricket is unfolding over a year and hence stop telling that he is a great leader and capable to turn things around. Having talked about his leadership, I also will tell that he doesn't deserve a place in the test team as a batsmen as well, simply because he doesn't have the technique for a test batsman, what he has is the ugliest I have ever witnessed. But I still respect his contributions in limited formats and hence he should give up his place as captain/batsman/keeper, in tests, to worthy people and move on. Cont...

SAF-Fan-no-1
on December 12, 2012, 14:01 GMT

India's trouble is Player got so much money in playing IPL - they not bother about the country. Lets play last series for the all guys - If they did not perform well then that's it. sack Dhoni, Gambhir, Yuvraj, Zaheer, and Get instead Parthive Patel, Muraly Vijay, Rahane, and Tiwari. They guyes are good then existing one. Give leader ship to New comer - Pujara charge under Shehwag and Tendulkar. Ones he set lets play his game. Please do not take any player who play IPL - IPL is the biggest mistake, player laughing having big money in their pockets. AM I right?

lazyplayers
on December 12, 2012, 14:00 GMT

yeah Dhoni, you and Tendulkar has always shown character by focussing on DRS, pitch, home conditions etc etc. Sometimes you guys need to play cricket too. For the extreme stuff, that;s how you both actors are earning millions in TV ads.

Cpt.Meanster
on December 12, 2012, 13:59 GMT

Dear MSD, your time is UP ! You speak about character and mental toughness, yet what did we as Indian fans see the past 1 year ? An 8-0 drubbing, 2 straight defeats to England AT HOME. What else do you expect from us ? You shouldn't even be a part of India's test team. You are much better off playing and captaining the limited overs teams because that's your strength. It's time to move on dear MSD. It's time for change and I am sure you want the best for Indian cricket. Please resign after this game. This is a humble request from ALL Indian fans !!

Raki99
on December 12, 2012, 13:55 GMT

Dhoni this is your last test as a captain. Enjoy mate......... Amarnath came out strong you are going to lose this test and your place in the test team....

Fan1969
on December 12, 2012, 13:54 GMT

Still cannot understand how Sachin has not announced retirement till now. How will selectors select him for Aus tests if he fails in this test. Will he then retire like Dravid, Laxman or can he manage a test like Kumble, Saurav, Ponting, Steve Waugh etc. I wish he retires now and gets the crowd and opposition applause that Ponting just now received. It will be sad to see him retire without a last match farewell.

sundersingh
on December 12, 2012, 13:49 GMT

sorry MSD character can be shown in IPL only by ur team mates..... not in TEST ????

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 13:48 GMT

He says the team is "enjoying" themselves. May be we as spectators are missing something here... That was a funny one MSD

rahulcricket007
on December 12, 2012, 13:48 GMT

it's quite amazing to see that dhoni is questioning gambhir 's attitutde & has complained to bcci officials that he plays for himself , DID HE FORGET THAT GAMBHIR HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST REASON WHY INDIA WON T20 WC 2007 & WC 2011 . he was the higest scorer for india in both finals .

visal
on December 12, 2012, 13:43 GMT

I wish Dhoni to win the toss again. Dont want him to use that as an excuse for a 3-1 thrashing! One can only imagine what he would have said if Cook had won all the 3 tosses..."we should prepare coins that should suit the home team during tosses". Best of luck Dhoni to winning the toss and hard luck for him for a series defeat.

pandez
on December 12, 2012, 13:37 GMT

The good thing about being the skipper on firing line is that it can bring the best out of him. dhoni i feel needed this stick so that he can come out of comfort zone and belive you me he will rock in this test. All the best Mahi............

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 13:37 GMT

Well Said Dhoni , But one thing is required , you should sit out few games play some county and lead India , may that will work

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 13:36 GMT

dhoni and his ridiculous facade. his viewpoint is just incomprehensible - even if pujara fails in the next 3 series, you would invest in him because he has a future. on the other hand, sachin doesn't have a future in the game, only a glorious past, therefore you would drop him if he continuously fails. and MSD is not a test batsman. i don't think i want to support indian cricket anymore; these guys are in perpetual denial.

Webba84
on December 12, 2012, 13:34 GMT

Dhoni clearly forgetting the 8 test matches lost in a row where nobody was dropped, although those with character did retire. What a charade, each lie more blatant and transparent than the next. I really feel for Indian fans.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 13:31 GMT

It was reported in some website that Dhoni had filed a complaint against Gambhir with the BCCI about his indifferent attitude and here he is speaking volumes abt gauti's strngth......confused :(

atuljain1969
on December 12, 2012, 13:29 GMT

Team spirit has to be great as they all are riding the same boat except 1 or 2 cases.

But on field, there body language is pathetic, any expert on body language can vouch that.

Indians no more could play Test cricket, as now One dayers and T20 should be their priority, the future lies only in this form of cricket.

Just to please the colonial rulers we are playing this form of cricket.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 13:20 GMT

Well said Dhoni, this is time that this team needs backing from supporters, critics and former players. Still series is not over yet, putting additional pressure on the team and individual is Unwarranted. Positive suggestions to team would be welcomed. May be time of Sachin to go down one spot and give someone like Virat a cover so that carrying weight of middle order may not bring him down.

I totally agree with Dhoni. We need to win this test match and all of our players need to preform. Everyone has a point to prove and this test match decides the fortune of Indian Test Cricket for the next few months.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 13:12 GMT

I used to have a lot of respect for this young man called Dhoni...but lately he has become more of a "hold the fort" rather than play to lead person...How can he say that people are talking on the basis of 2 Test matches, look at the team performance in test matches this whole year.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 13:11 GMT

Mr. Dhoni...In india we have extreme opinions and because everyone is glued to the match is feels involved in the game.. and all these people who give their extreme opinions, (I mean not the well known ex-cricketers, or sport journalists.. am talking about the aam admi....) are criticizing and praising..its their right to do so..they are the reason for your popularity and fat paycheck and even the BCCI's strength in the cricketing world. If these people start treating cricket the way they are treating Hockey..then its dooms day for cricket and all you folks out their. So watchout before you start giving out your political answers...Hey you know what? Start a party or join Congress party..seems to be a prospective alternate career for you.

vrazak
on December 12, 2012, 13:11 GMT

India Will loose this match, England is better side than India in TEST.

Naresh28
on December 12, 2012, 13:10 GMT

We dont go against anyone for no reason. We are ardent fans and have kept our
faith in you. The results are what matter and as now there is no reason any of
us fans can be happy with what we see. We dont mind if you lose, but dont go
down with no fight. Its okay to talk but please follow up with action.

tanxi
on December 12, 2012, 13:03 GMT

I feel Dhoni gets unfair criticism. He averages 37 in Test Matches, and that's decent lower down the order at #7. He can be a dangerous batsmen lower down, scoring quickly. However, he consistently walks out when his team are around 150-250 for 5 wickets. This has been the case particularly abroad in the past few series.

Look at 2nd Test, if I was #7, and my team had to play out 27overs, I should be able to shower, relax and wait for tomorrow. Not putting my pads on going out to bat.

ramli
on December 12, 2012, 12:57 GMT

Come on Dhoni ... you can steer the team to glory ... good luck in Nagpur ...

SouthPaw
on December 12, 2012, 12:49 GMT

Dhoni is a smart guy and has summed up the voices calling for his axing with 2 beautiful sentences - "everybody has an opinion about cricket" & "In India we have extreme opinions". Leave the selection to selectors, the rest of us should shut up.

secondopinion
on December 12, 2012, 12:48 GMT

Either the captain is more than just a player who gets to the toss, or he is also responsible for getting the best out of each individual team member and make them perform as a team. Dhoni has failed in both dimensions, even if the BCCI president is protecting his IPL team's captain. We are slipping in to the same scene as Ganguly's last days as India and KKR captain- top stars, zero performance. Covering up Sachin and Gambhir may win Dhoni some support from west and north zone members, but the fact remains that both are way under the minimum expected from players who come in as specialist batsmen. Any batsman who doesn't perform in 1 out of 2 innings, is not pulling his weight.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 12:44 GMT

all this started after WC 2011.The slide started in England.Maybe it is time to remove everybody and remind that there is Indian cricket even after Sewhags,Dhoni and Gambhir.Then when they start losing contracts they will be in form miraculously.

debashish82
on December 12, 2012, 12:42 GMT

As a fan of Indian cricket I believe it is high time to restructure the whole team but in systematic progression. Dhoni, to my openion, is always an over hyped player. His keeping is average and as a batsman he is pathetic to watch. 0 technique and brute force of the wrist is not gonna work any more. Luck klicks and Dhoni receives parise. That is garbage. Bring some fresh air into the team.

Ha8rick
on December 12, 2012, 12:42 GMT

Make Gambhir the captain and watch how things turn back for the betterment of Indian cricket. His personal form will improve also!

Sack Dhoni at once!

No featured comments at the moment.

Ha8rick
on December 12, 2012, 12:42 GMT

Make Gambhir the captain and watch how things turn back for the betterment of Indian cricket. His personal form will improve also!

Sack Dhoni at once!

debashish82
on December 12, 2012, 12:42 GMT

As a fan of Indian cricket I believe it is high time to restructure the whole team but in systematic progression. Dhoni, to my openion, is always an over hyped player. His keeping is average and as a batsman he is pathetic to watch. 0 technique and brute force of the wrist is not gonna work any more. Luck klicks and Dhoni receives parise. That is garbage. Bring some fresh air into the team.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 12:44 GMT

all this started after WC 2011.The slide started in England.Maybe it is time to remove everybody and remind that there is Indian cricket even after Sewhags,Dhoni and Gambhir.Then when they start losing contracts they will be in form miraculously.

secondopinion
on December 12, 2012, 12:48 GMT

Either the captain is more than just a player who gets to the toss, or he is also responsible for getting the best out of each individual team member and make them perform as a team. Dhoni has failed in both dimensions, even if the BCCI president is protecting his IPL team's captain. We are slipping in to the same scene as Ganguly's last days as India and KKR captain- top stars, zero performance. Covering up Sachin and Gambhir may win Dhoni some support from west and north zone members, but the fact remains that both are way under the minimum expected from players who come in as specialist batsmen. Any batsman who doesn't perform in 1 out of 2 innings, is not pulling his weight.

SouthPaw
on December 12, 2012, 12:49 GMT

Dhoni is a smart guy and has summed up the voices calling for his axing with 2 beautiful sentences - "everybody has an opinion about cricket" & "In India we have extreme opinions". Leave the selection to selectors, the rest of us should shut up.

ramli
on December 12, 2012, 12:57 GMT

Come on Dhoni ... you can steer the team to glory ... good luck in Nagpur ...

tanxi
on December 12, 2012, 13:03 GMT

I feel Dhoni gets unfair criticism. He averages 37 in Test Matches, and that's decent lower down the order at #7. He can be a dangerous batsmen lower down, scoring quickly. However, he consistently walks out when his team are around 150-250 for 5 wickets. This has been the case particularly abroad in the past few series.

Look at 2nd Test, if I was #7, and my team had to play out 27overs, I should be able to shower, relax and wait for tomorrow. Not putting my pads on going out to bat.

Naresh28
on December 12, 2012, 13:10 GMT

We dont go against anyone for no reason. We are ardent fans and have kept our
faith in you. The results are what matter and as now there is no reason any of
us fans can be happy with what we see. We dont mind if you lose, but dont go
down with no fight. Its okay to talk but please follow up with action.

vrazak
on December 12, 2012, 13:11 GMT

India Will loose this match, England is better side than India in TEST.

dummy4fb
on December 12, 2012, 13:11 GMT

Mr. Dhoni...In india we have extreme opinions and because everyone is glued to the match is feels involved in the game.. and all these people who give their extreme opinions, (I mean not the well known ex-cricketers, or sport journalists.. am talking about the aam admi....) are criticizing and praising..its their right to do so..they are the reason for your popularity and fat paycheck and even the BCCI's strength in the cricketing world. If these people start treating cricket the way they are treating Hockey..then its dooms day for cricket and all you folks out their. So watchout before you start giving out your political answers...Hey you know what? Start a party or join Congress party..seems to be a prospective alternate career for you.